Indoor has something everyone can agree on

UK-based directing duo Si and Ad are just completing their longest short film to date. With a working title of Indoor, the film was shot on Kodak’s new high-quality, low-price film stock.

Directors Si and Ad have been working together for just over a decade. They started out as designers for record label, Virgin but quickly moved into the music video arena. Signed to Academy Films, they have produced a number of commercials, music videos and short films. Their previous short film, Post-It Love, was aimed squarely at the commercials market but also with an eye on long-form filmmaking. It garnered lots of attention and acclaim on the festival circuit bringing them more commercials work and the opportunity to make a longer short film.

Known as Indoor, Si & Ad’s latest short film is their first film with dialogue. The plot revolves around two kids and the start of their friendship. The boy is new in town and he befriends a girl who is confined to staying indoor (hence the title). Like their other films, it’s quirky and magical, doesn’t take itself too seriously but at the same time is quite touching.

A scene from Indoor

It was shot in Jaywick on the Essex coast which, despite being one of the most impoverished areas of the UK is, according to Ad, ” a beautiful place photographically, its skylines and beaches forming fabulous backdrops.”

“We quickly made a decision,” continued Si, “that we needed film to do both this project and this area justice. When we first started out, we shot our first videos on DV cams but as soon as we got our hands on film, we stuck with it the whole way. In fact, we are the only directors at Academy who haven’t shot on a digital format yet. Digital just didn’t have the range we required to handle the detail in the skies and the blacks.”

A scene from Indoor

Danish DP, Lasse Frank used the new KODAK 500T Color Negative Film Stock 5230/7230 for the shoot. This is a new product that uses some components of VISION2 technology and some from VISION3 to enable filmmakers to get the best balance between high quality and low price. It has been actively promoted by Kodak sales teams, using the slogan ‘Something everyone can agree on’ where producers and DPs are hesitant about using film stock for budgetary reasons. Further details of this film stock can be seen on the Kodak website.

Indoor was scheduled to be completed as InCamera went to press. It will then be heavily promoted on the festival circuit and Si and Ad are hoping it will give them their entry into long-form filmmaking.